The building of the 'Deutsche Oper Berlin' (German Opera Berlin) photographed Tuesday morning, Sept. 26, 2006. The opera house management on Monday, Sept. 25, 2006 withdrew the opera 'Idomeneo' by Wolfgan Amadeus Mozart, directed by Hans Neuenfels from its program. The opera house said it has canceled a controversial production from its fall season, citing authorities' fears it posed undue security risks by it's treatment of world religions by featuring the severed heads of Buddah, Jesus and Muhammad. In a statement released late Monday; Sept. 25, 2006 the Deutsche Oper said it had decided "with great regret" to strike a planned production of Mozart's "Idomeneo" from its fall season, after Berlin security officials warned of an "incalculable risk" due to scenes dealing with Islam, as well as other religions. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Photo: MARKUS SCHREIBER

The building of the 'Deutsche Oper Berlin' (German Opera Berlin)...

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Berlin opera director Kirsten Harms addresses a new conference in Berlin September 26, 2006. German politicians condemned on Tuesday a decision by a Berlin opera house to cancel performances of Mozart's "Idomeneo" because of concern it could enrage Muslims and present a security risk. In the production, which is directed by Hans Neuenfels, King Idomeneo is shown staggering on stage next to the severed heads of Buddha, Jesus, Poseidon and the Prophet Mohammad, which sit on chairs. "To avoid endangering the public and its employees, the Deutsche Oper in Berlin has decided to refrain from showing "Idomeneo" in November," the opera house said. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch (GERMANY) 0

Photo: FABRIZIO BENSCH

Berlin opera director Kirsten Harms addresses a new conference in...

Opera's pre-emptive strike / German company halts performance's run after hint that Muslims might be offended

On a day of messy drama and furious debate over free speech, German Opera in Berlin reaffirmed its decision Tuesday not to revive a production of Mozart's "Idomeneo" for fear of inciting Islamic extremists over a scene showing the severed head of the prophet Muhammad.

The cancellation of a work that has run intermittently since 2003 drew rebuke from politicians and theater critics, who regarded it as a defeat for creative expression and a victory for militant Islamists over liberal European tradition. The company's decision came as Muslim tensions on the continent have risen since the publication last year of Danish cartoons lampooning Muhammad and recent comments by Pope Benedict XVI about Islam and violence.

"There have been no concrete terrorist threats against the opera," said Michael Nerkle, a Berlin police spokesman. "We received an anonymous call that certain scenes might be offensive to Muslims. In light of what happened (violent protests) against the Muhammad cartoons, it was appropriate to inform the opera house."

In a terse news conference, German Opera manager Kirsten Harms said she canceled the show after security officials informed her there would be "incalculable risks" if the production reopened in November.

"If I would ignore this, everyone would say, 'She has ignored a clear warning,' " said Harms, adding that director Hans Neuenfels refused to restage the show. "It is always easy to say, 'This is the decision of a coward.' But as head of this opera house, I had to decide like that."

"Idomeneo" is the ancient story of the king of Crete's pact with the Greek god Poseidon to sacrifice his son. The production by Neuenfels, known for his controversial interpretations, is a meditation on enlightenment that shows the king lifting the severed heads of Poseidon, Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad to suggest that over-reliance on religion can endanger the human spirit.

"Closing this opera is very alarming," said Markus Schwering, critic for Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger, a Cologne newspaper. "The production is anti-religious, but it must be allowed in a free society. It's not a singular attack on Islam. It says religion in general can produce inhumanity and superstition. The danger I see now is that theaters may stifle provocative art. We need to have a real and very serious debate on this in Germany."

Mixing satire with anger, Wolfgang Boernsen, cultural spokesman for the Christian Democratic Union, the nation's leading conservative party, said: "Hurray, we are capitulating. To drop a production critical toward religion out of fear from possible terrorist attacks is hurting the freedom of art."

"With the Berlin opera decision, which is a bow before terrorists, the radical scene is encouraged to continue to pressure and threaten Western culture and Christianity," he said.

Most Muslim organizations were unaware of the opera. Ali Kizilkaya, the leader of Germany's Islamic Council, said the production would offend Muslims, but he told Berlin's Radio Multikulti, "Nevertheless, of course, I think it's horrible one has to be afraid. That is not the right way to open dialogue."

The national chairman of the Turkish Community in Germany, which represents immigrants, Kenan Kolat, expressed similar sentiments, reflecting more of a cultural and political sensitivity to the West than suggested by the violence inspired by Middle East clerics over the Muhammad cartoons. Kolat told a news Web site: "I recommend that all Muslims accept certain things. Art has to stay free."

A poll by German television network N-24 found that 92 percent of those questioned were opposed to canceling the production.

When Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble heard of the opera's cancellation, he told reporters: "That is crazy. This is unacceptable."

Kay Kuntze, Berlin Chamber Opera director, added: "If we give up the central point of our culture -- the freedom of art -- we end up giving up out entire culture."